1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to systems and methods for high performance network switching. In particular, the invention relates to a new switching architecture for integrating multiple switched into a single device.
2. Description of the Related Art
As computer performance has increased in recent years, the demands on computer networks has significantly increased; faster computer processors and higher memory capabilities need networks with high bandwidth capabilities to enable high speed transfer of significant amounts of data. The well-known Ethernet technology, which is based upon numerous IEEE Ethernet standards, is one example of computer networking technology which has been able to be modified and improved to remain a viable computing technology. A more complete discussion of prior art networking systems can be found, for example, in SWITCHED AND FAST ETHERNET, by Breyer and Riley (Ziff-Davis, 1996), and numerous IEEE publications relating to IEEE 802 standards. Based upon the Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) 7-layer reference model, network capabilities have grown through the development of repeaters, bridges, routers, and, more recently, “switches”, which operate with various types of communication media. Thickwire, thinwire, twisted pair, and optical fiber are examples of media which has been used for computer networks. Switches, as they relate to computer networking and to ethernet, are hardware-based devices which control the flow of data packets or cells based upon destination address information which is available in each packet. A properly designed and implemented switch should be capable of receiving a packet and switching the packet to an appropriate output port at what is referred to wirespeed or linespeed, which is the maximum speed capability of the particular network. Current basic Ethernet wirespeeds typically range from 10 megabits per second up to 10,000 megabits per second, or 10 Gigabits per second. As speed has increased, design constraints and design requirements have become more and more complex with respect to following appropriate design and protocol rules and providing a low cost, commercially viable solution. For example, varying speed networking devices may now coexist on a single network, requiring a switch to handle multiple devices operating at different speeds. As a result of speed mismatching, flow control within a switch becomes increasingly important.
Competition and other market pressures require the production of more capable network devices that cost the consumer less. In order to reduce manufacturing cost of network devices, current switching solutions can be combined to form larger devices at a lower cost. Accordingly, there is a need for new and improved systems and methods for integrating switches to produce network devices with increased port numbers and performance capabilities.